Jackie Chan made dozens of martial arts films in his native Hong Kong before finding phenomenal success in the US in 1998 when he starred alongside Chris Tucker in the buddy comedy Rush Hour. Their unlikely pairing was so popular that they returned to the story to make a pair of sequels: Rush Hour 2 and Rush Hour 3. And Jackie took the familiar formula even further when he starred alongside Owen Wilson in Shanghai. Midday and Shanghai Knights.
Although he may be a little too old to experience such stunt-related adventures anymore, the 60-something matinee idol is back with Skiptrace, a slight twist on the theme in which he co-stars with Johnny Knoxville, known for Jackass, the television and film series in which he and a group of wacky accomplices perform a series of death-defying feats.
Here he reprises some of his biggest hits, such as rolling down the street in a barrel. The same can be said of Chan, as many of the film's chase and fight scenes have a sense of déjà vu. Nonetheless, the uninitiated are in for a treat, especially for young people who have never seen either of the two leads at their best.
In Skiptrace, Jackie plays Hong Kong detective Benny Chan and Johnny plays Connor Watts, an American gambler on the run from a Russian casino owner (Charlie Rawes) whom he has cheated out of a million dollars. While on the run, Benny's partner Yung (Eric Tsang) is murdered by a mysterious gangster known as The Matador, and he makes it his mission to bring the villain to justice.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Johnny accidentally witnesses the kidnapping of Yung's daughter Samantha (Bingbing Fan). When the two later meet, he becomes indispensable to Benny, even though the detective is very reluctant to work with a slippery con artist.
Directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2), Skiptrace is a globetrotting affair that unfolds at a dizzying pace as the film visits various ports of call around the world. The multi-layered crime story culminates in a major showdown at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong, where the case is very satisfactorily resolved.
Although he is certainly no Chris Tucker, Johnny Knoxville proves to be a pretty good accomplice to Jackie Chan's endearing combination of antics and acrobatics.
Good (2 stars)
Rated PG-13 for violence, explicit content, obscene language, drug use and brief nudity
Running time: 107 minutes
Distributor: Saban Films
To see a trailer for Skiptrace, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWUjtb0i7dg
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